We have had a few inquiries about offering specials (Christmas in July) and exhibiting at arts and craft shows in July featuring some of our Christmas items (holiday items if you want to PC). Do consumers really buy these items so far in advance that it is worth featuring them in shows? I recently exhibited in a show a few weeks ago where the temperature was 96 degrees and humid outside. My mind was not on New England winters and that festive season. Nevertheless, low and behold….people were purchasing hand painted nutcrackers and natural soap for gifts from us. I did have some Fall crafts, but it was the winter holiday items that sold. What would you purchase, months out, for the holidays, that you are willing to store away and "remember" that you purchased them?

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Being in the business of creating reproduction furniture, there is a strong movement to create the "look of old".  I personally do like the look, but that does not mean that the piece should be in poor quality, especially when you are technically creating a "new piece".  How far do you go with the distressed look? Is it just a few worn edges or do you take hammers and nails and beat the piece up? Many antiqued pieces add multiple colors in layers to achieve this look. This process takes time in creating and we all know, time is money. However, how far should artisans take it? Currently, the home furnishings and country furniture created in our studio are not distressed, but we would like to integrate some into our product line. Do you have any bad experiences that you would like to share?  What is too much?

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It is amazing how expensive it is to buy grungy candles and crafts. Visiting various shops across New England, it appears to be a very hot item, but to pay $6.00 a piece for one battery operated candle, I feel is a bit much. I know, we all need to make a living, so I will clarify this comment....if the crafter is making these items themselves, then it is worth the cost. But many stores purchase these candles (even the tea/voltive style) from a distributor who has them made in China. There are some directions on how to "grung" up your candles or crafts on the web. Well worth paying for directions if you are making a lot of them. I did for the company. It will keep the price of my crafts down because I won't have to purchase these candles. What are your thoughts? Have you found interesting ways to "grung" up your crafts. Share with us all.

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I visited my old stomping ground in New Hampshire to see what country craft stores survived the economic down turn and if any new ones sprung up. Upon stopping at our first shop, it had a lot of the country, folk art and primitive style of crafts that my husband and I love to collect. After spending some time with the owner (we were her first customer of the day), she stated that she wished she knew someone who could make her Mitten Boxes. She has so many requests for them, but no local supplier. Well, for those who know us at My Lovi, it was an opportunity for us to come to her rescue. What are Mitten Boxes you ask…well, they are a shelf that has a pull down door to store "dry" mittens and pegs to hang "wet" ones. Granted you can hang other things on these pegs, because…really…who has wet mittens now a days. This lovely owner did allow us to take a picture of one she had (which mind you, was pitiful) in her store that she was not please with and come up with something better. We went home and designed a very lovely (and useful) mitten box as the initial prototype. The goal is to paint it black (possibly distress it or not??) and show it to the shop owner in the next week or so. See sample (unpainted) below. The question remains, what other gems have consumers been looking for that they just can't find anywhere? Let me know what you think.

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I am always facinated to learn what consumers purchase? It seems that each year we seem to buy the same type of items to decorate our homes? Is that because we see friends and relatives doing it, so we feel we must? I would like to provide items that people wish they could have, but don't want to spend tons of money to get them. Granted, it is very difficult for a local business woman to compete with the Wal-Mart and Christmas Tree Shops of the world...for that matter China as a country of unlimited workers. But I would like to know, what are you wanting that you can't find locally. I am in the process of designing a series of figurines that use a combination of mediums and want to debut them in September 2010 for the holiday season. What else would you like to see?

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As an exhibitor and attendee to arts and craft shows, I am beginning to feel that painted furniture, ornaments and such are no longer needed or desired for the "new" craft fair attendees. It appears these new craft seekers are mostly looking for the latest necklace or cloth hand bag to buy? Some jewelry is really an art form and they charge for it (which I expect them to), but these jewelers are not exhibiting at the local high school "gym-a-cafetorium".

I am spending much of my free time to make these items (granted I don't grow the trees, I buy the lumber) and then paint it or spend hours doing a clay figurine or ornament. But this appears not to be the desired items. Am I all wet? I appreciate jewelry, but we do have stores that cater just for that line of art....maybe I should put my paintings in Springers or Days....they must be hurting for business, since everyone is peddling their wares at these shows. What do you think???

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It seems many people think that crafts are items that you purchase. Little do they realize that when you engage in a craft, whether it is clay, painting or sewing, you relax and become much more focused. Granted we all get a bit frustrated if a project doesn't go as well as planned, but that is the beauty of engaging in crafts. Let me know about how crafts have help you "recharge". Happy crafting.

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I see a lot of interest in natural dog and pet care products. How much interest is there in this type of product? Your thoughts

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When I visit a lot of nice stores during my travels, I am very interested in what types of lotions and creams are available. I am amazed on what is out there, but more importantly, that they charge such a high price for something made outside of the USA. I never feel that we shouldn't get a fair price for our time and labor, but to resell something that some person made in another country that didn't make hardly anything for their effort is wrong. Buy locally or at least in the USA.

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Ever want a company to listen to what you want? Tell us what scent of soap and bath product you would like. My Lovi currently offers: Lavender, Vanilla Musk, Lilac, Lemon Verbena, Cucumber Melon, Patchouli Musk, Eucalyptus, Tea Tree, English Rose, Gardenia and Bergmont & Violet.

If we take your suggestion, you will receive a free sample of the product as soon as it is released!

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As I sit in my studio, I wonder if it is all for nothing? I spend time a lot of time putting details into each of my polymer clay figurines and then I find myself in Walmart and there is some plastic or resin object made in China for one quarter the amount that I charge. It seems that we just throw things away and never want to have something good enough to pass along to others.  It isn't that I am complaining, I do have a group of customers who appreciate purchasing items that will last a lifetime if taken cared for. Maybe that is it? We don't think of things needing to last a lifetime or passed on to someone else. I would hope not, since I see lots of people at auctions and eBay trying to find something that use to exist. I will continue to plod along and made really beautiful and fun figurines and they will become valuable in my later years.

Gabrielle Lovi

I know we are facing hard economic times, but we need to support the American made crafts movement. Why are so many people satisfied with buying low quality products from China or elsewhere? The quality isn't good, sometimes even dangerous, nor does the item last long. I can't think of anything that would be purchase that is made in China that would make it to the "antique" state. Am I wrong in thinking this way? Have we become so disposable in our thinking? What do you think?

Gabrielle Lovi

 

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